Liberalization of Trade in Health Services: Balancing Mode 4 Interests with Obligations to Provide Universal Access to Basic Services.
Health is a human Right. The Right is bestowed on human beings through national constitutions and various international legal instruments that have been signed and ratified by many, if not all, governments of the world. Inherent herein is the Right to access basic health services; which imposes an obligation on States to ensure that these services are universally accessible to all their constituents. (more…)
EPA Negotiations in the Caribbean Region: Some Issues of Concern.
This Analytical Note explores some of the main challenges related to the EPA negotiations in the CARIFORUM ACP region, particularly with respect to Market Access and regional integration, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and trade in Services. (more…)
The Reform of the EU Sugar Sector: Implications for ACP Countries and EPA Negotiations.
This note is to provide comprehensive account of the legal and political background of the current reform of the EU sugar sector and of the implications of the reform and related EU policies for ACP countries. (more…)
Fact Sheet 5 – Demystifying Trade in Services: A Strategic Guide for ACP EPA Negotiators
This Analytical Note is part of a series of Fact Sheets designed to overview and assess the development implications of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which the EU is currently negotiating with 76 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP). This Fact Sheet seeks to increase the understanding of the substantive issues at stake in the negotiations, (more…)
Mandatory Disclosure of the Source and Origin of Biological Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge under the TRIPS Agreement.
The discussion on TRIPS and CBD in the WTO demonstrates the growing convergence on content, scope, relevance and effectiveness of an international mandatory obligation on disclosure of source and country providing biological resources and traditional knowledge. (more…)
Comments to the Draft Modalities for WTO NAMA Negotiations dated 17 July 2007.
This note contains preliminary comments on the Draft NAMA Modalities submitted by the Chairman of the WTO Negotiating Group on Market Access (Job (07)/126). While the text will need to be discussed, amended and, if agreed, adopted at a later stage, (more…)
Changes in the Governance of Global Value Chains of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Opportunities and Challenges for Producers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Horticultural trade, especially fresh fruits and vegetables from Sub-Saharan African to European market, has received a great deal of attention over the past decade due to the rapid and sustained growth of its exports to Europe. This impressive growth has undoubtedly contributed to increased national incomes and has reduced rural poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. (more…)
EPA Negotiations in the Central African Region: Some Issues for Consideration.
This Analytical Note explores some of the main challenges that the countries of the EPA Central African region face in the EPA negotiating process, including with respect to its interfaces with WTO negotiations. (more…)
Trade Negotiations in the West African Region: Issues for Consideration.
This Analytical Note explores some of the main challenges that the countries of the EPA West African region face in the EPA negotiating process, particularly with respect to its interfaces with WTO negotiations. (more…)
The Development Dimension of the Agriculture Negotiations.
In view of the role of agriculture in the social and economic development of developing countries and their experience implementing rules and liberalization commitments related to agricultural trade, the need to redefine the boundaries of the development dimension in multilateral rules governing agricultural trade has emerged. (more…)
GATS Dispute Settlement Cases: Practical Implications for Developing Countries.
Developing countries should be aware of the implications of the WTO dispute settlement reports on US – Gambling1 and Mexico – Telecommunications as they continue participating in the WTO negotiations. (more…)
Development and Intellectual Property under the EPA Negotiations.
The negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) between the European Union (EU) and the African Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP) are likely to result in additional layers of intellectual property right protection, at least in the case of the agreement with Cariforum countries. (more…)
